Here are two letters from William Smedley, author of
The Mystery of Francis Bacon and a great collector of
Bacon's personal library . Smedley corresponded with the San
Francisco antiquarian John Howell. In these letters Smedley raises
concern about the future of his Bacon book collection and that it
might be best for it to be relocated to America. Unfortunately
from what we now know, most of his collection was obtained by the
Folger-Shakespeare Library in Washington D.C. whose policy makes
these rare books unavailable to the general public. However, his
letters can be found today in the N.Y.Public Library which are
available to the general public under Reference : The Catalogue
of the Smedley Library of Shakespearana and Baconia.-Lawrence
Gerald

May 30, 1917

Dear Sir,

My daughter who is at present in San Francisco has suggested to me
that I should send you a copy of a little book which I published some
time ago entitled "The Mystery of Francis Bacon". It is crude an was
hurriedly published by me in order to establish my title to many
minor discoveries which I had made in connection with the literature
of the period. I always talk freely to my friends about any new
feature which I may come across and this course sometimes leads to
one's work being unintentionally appropriated by others. Anyway as I
understand from my daughter that you are interested in what is termed
the Bacon-Shakespeare controversy, if you have not already seen the
book some new aspects of the subject may be opened up to you.

It is a great misfortune that the question of Bacon's connection with
the literature produced during his period was raised by the
attribution to him of the authorship of the Shakespeare plays. On
that point I have unpublished evidence which I believe definitely
settles the point at issue, but the time for its publication is not
yet. I allude to the discoveries of Mr. E. V. Tanner referred to page
125 of my book.

The real problem is how the literature of the period came to be
produced. This literature is practically unknown except to second
hand book dealers and book collectors and few of these have attempted
any investigation or comparison of the contents of the volumes.
Professors of literature, at any rate in this country, are profoundly
ignorant of even the existence of some of the most important works.
Whenever the facts come to be recognized the world will experience a
greater surprise than has ever been experienced.

I am also sending you a copy of a little pamphlet which I
published on Francis Bacon. I may say that for the last eight years I
have edited Baconiana for the Bacon Society but this I am now
relinguishing.

My library contains some 400 or 500 books with Bacon's marginal
notes in them. The earliest writing which I have of his I place at
the time when he was about 8 or ten years old. The notes are a
accompanied by drawings from the pen of a very young boy.

I wish that a fitting memorial library could be established in the
U.S. Bacon was instrumental in the earliest attempts at English
colonization there and I venture to believe that if he could be
consulted, it would be fully in accordance with his views that inthe
country, the greatness of which he foresaw, his fame should be
adequately commemorated. My suggestion for a suitable Bacon Memorial
you will see at the end of the pamphlet. I could obtain for this
purpose at least 2000 books containing Bacon's handwriting.

The war has so much interfered with my resources that I am
compelled to abstain from book buying except on very special
occasions. Since it began I was fortunate in securing the original
author's manuscript of Barclay's Argenis as published in Latin in
1621 at Paris. This is in Bacon's handwriting.

I do not know whether you have seen the facsimile reproduction of
the Bordeaux copy of the 1588 edition of Montaigne's Essay. I send
you also a copy of the Baconiana which contains a short notice of it
from my pen.

I shall be very pleased to learn how far you are interested in
what I have written.

Yours faithfully,

William T. Smedley

September 22,1917

Dear Mr. Howell,

Your letter of the 7th reached me today. That of the 15th of June
also came to hand and I acknowledged it and returned you my sincere
thanks for your great kindness in sending , me the photographs and
interesting information which accompanied your letter, I have a copy
of the 1605 Advancement of Learning with marginal notes in Bacon's
handwriting. I know quite well, the trefoil mark which I see on your
photographs; Ben Jonson also used this mark. I have a copy of the
1629 Advancement and the 1629 Essays bound together with his marginal
notes. The title page of this book bears the signature of John Dalton
of the Atomic Theory fame. I have Martin Luther's writing and
signature in a book with Bacon's annotations. A still more curious
combination is that of Aldus Manutius and Baconia. I am sure about
the latter's handwriting in it but although it contains a signature
"Aldus Manutius" I have no means of verifying the writing. That of
Luther, to which I referred, is I think beyond question.

I have about 3000 books constituting what I call my
Bacon-Shakespeare library. About 1000 are comparatively modern and
refer to Shakespeare literature. I have endeavoured to obtain a copy
of every edtion in every language of works by Bacon and these run
into some hundreds but they do not include the 1597, 1598, or 1606
Essays or the translation of the Psalms. Amongst the English editions
I think there is very little else missing. The collection of French
editions is extremely good, all the earlier ones being there. The
collection of editions published on the continent, all in Latin at
Amsterdam, Leydon, etc., in the second half of the 17th century, is
probably complete. Lives of Bacon and books on his works form another
section. Then there are several hundered volumes published between
1572 and 1638 in England and France with the production of which I am
convinced he was concerned. I have a wonderful collection of
Barclay's Argenis and the author's original manuscript full of
alterations, poetry, poetry substituted for prose, etc., as it was
printed in 1621. This is in Bacon's handwriting. I have all editions
of the French Academy published in France and England except the
first 1579. I live in hopes of someday possessing this.

But the chief value lies in Bacon's manuscripts and annotated books.
There are some of his youth's scribblings -common books-a Genealogy
of Scottish Noblemen in 1602 nearly all in his handwriting-a
sideboard which belonged to him and which never left the Gorhambury
Estate until it came to my hands-a marvellous manuscript on Canon
Law, a huge bulky volume, and other interesting manuscripts in his
handwriting. Then there are some 300 or 400 books with his marginal
notes. His brief, with drawings in the margins and most copious
notes, scores of books which I believe he read and wrote in before he
was 12 years of age. About 100 of the books are Incanabula, some very
rare. I omitted to mention when speaking of the books published
between 1572 and 1638 the section of emblem books which is
excellent-some of these contain his handwriting. In the
Shakespeareana there is a complete ( I believe) collection of W.H.
Ireland's Works.

Now I am not seeking a sale of my library but I don't want to see it
broken up (of course I shouldn't see it) after my death which must
come some day. I should therefore be glad to know that it was
deposited in the Library of some College or Institution where the
scheme I have been working on would be perfected after I have passed
away. I can't afford to give it as a memorial to Bacon or I should
refuse an offer of 2500 simply because I don't want them to be
dispersed. The Library is unique and I should want a substantial sum
if I sold. I said it is unique but there is another collection which
I could obtain to go with it very similar in character to mine
containing some priceless books on account of the marginal ntoes. The
two collections are intended to be united and they should be. I don't
know how clear I have made my meaning or whether you can grasp the
position from my letter but at any rate it will suffice to give you a
general idea of what we are talking about. Perhaps you will let me
have your views.

I am so utterly ashamed of the treatment that English literary men
have extended to Bacon that I should be glad to see my books go to
America and know that the most suitable memorial was to be found
there. I am afraid this is unpatriotic but the English deserve to
lose every pleasure connected with the author of the Shakespeare
plays and the translation of the Bible, or rather the authorized
version in the early editions of which I am rich.

Again thanking you for your letters and for the photographs and
printed matter you sent me.

Yours very truly,

S/d William T. Smedley

There is also a section of controversial literature-very
comprehensive.